5 Common Decorating Mistakes & Solutions

Unless you’re a professionally trained designer, it’s hard to figure out the best way to decorate your home. Many times, we’ll overcompensate with too much furniture. Other times, we’ll think that we have too much space when our furniture doesn’t end up filling the room. Simply put, it’s easy for us to make design mistakes while we try to create a space that suits our tastes. And what’s worse is we don’t even know when we’re making these mistakes. That’s where Mor Furniture comes in. We’re here to tell you about some of the more common design mistakes that occur and help you refrain from making them as you decorate.

Over-Furnishing

A room should be both attractive and functional, but sometimes, in our attempt to make things look nice, we end up overcrowding the space with furniture. If you have to wedge in between chairs to get to another part of the room or feel cramped every time you sit down, there’s a chance the room is overflowing. Sometimes it’s a matter of rearranging your furniture so that the room looks more spacious. Other times, removing furniture from the room is the best way to make a space feel less cramped.

Lacking A Focal Point

An over-furnished room will do this. When you walk in and don’t know where to look, you’ve lost the room’s focal point. Lacking a focal point can make a space seem overwhelming and uninviting, so to combat this feeling, choose one area you would like to focus on as soon as you enter the room. Whatever you choose should naturally make a statement – like a large window, fireplace or painting. Once you’ve decided, begin decorating from that point on out to the rest of the room.

Awkward Themes

To a degree, themes are useful when decorating. They keep you within a respective color palette and help you remain in control. It’s important, however, not to go overboard with whatever theme you choose. Though an ocean theme may seem subtle, decorating an entire room in the same print can feel suffocating and look tacky. Instead, look for ways to bring your theme into different accent pieces. Make a centerpiece out of seashells or hang paintings of the beach throughout the room.

Pushed-Back Furniture

Contrary to popular belief, furniture does not always belong pushed up against a wall. When the sofa, loveseat and chair are hugging the wall, an isolating feeling can occur, which doesn’t make the space feel any more inviting. By pushing your furniture closer together, you’re creating an intimate space that makes conversation easier and allows everyone to easily maneuver through the room.

Ignoring Windows

Though it may be intimidating to decorate with curtains and window treatments, it’s important not to leave your windows uncovered. Bare windows can make the entire room look unfinished, but window treatments are an inexpensive way to add a decorative touch. Equally vital is the way you use your window treatments. Be sure to hang curtain rods closer to the ceiling – this will make the room seem larger.

Misguided Lighting

It doesn’t matter how sound your design senses are, if you use lighting from a night club or create the ambiance of an operating room, the rest of your room’s design will fall by the wayside. Rooms in your home should have as much natural lighting as possible – this means allowing windows to pour in the daylight – and when it gets dark, lamps and sconces should be used to illuminate your surroundings without casting a fluorescent glare. Dimmers are also great for controlling the light that enters a room and can be used on ceiling or overhead lights.